I found this artist and album thanks to a carefully-targeted ad campaign on Facebook which allowed me to download a free low-res MP3 copy of the album. I liked it so much that I had to get the full CD (see, it does work!).

Big Big Train - GrimspoundReview by Larry ToeringBig Big Train are considered a prog-folk band with a pop essence to their sound, and a stronger case can simply be made for the prog side of what they do on Grimspound.

The latest album from the Aaron Clift Experiment, there is quite a wide range of music here. While it all falls under the general "progressive rock" heading, this references different sides of that sound at different points.

In 2017 The Moody Blues album Days of Future Passed turned 50 years old. It's hard in retrospect to understand just how much of a game-changer that album was, merging symphonic music and rock into a concept album.

Each album Anthony Phillips releases is quite different from the ones around it. This particular set is made up of atmospheric electronic music that calls to mind things like Tangerine Dream and Synergy.

It's a safe bet that you've not heard anything quite like this. The closest comparisons are to things like Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart, but there is a bit of a They Might Be Giants vibe here, too.

While this isn't exactly my usual kind of music, I like this album a lot. In fact, it's likely to make my "best of 2018" list.

The Darkness - Pinewood SmileReview by Larry ToeringThe Darkness have been around long enough to catch one thing or another about them, but their latest release Pinewood Smile brings them closer to the attention of many who’ve just been curious up to this point.

If you like mainstream rock music, you will want to check this new EP out. There are only two songs, but both are very strong.

Field Report - Summertime SongsReview by Larry ToeringField Report return with another great release (this time on the Verve Forecast label) and with a disc that is chock full mellow of indie-folk rock gems that go the distance to create an absolute jovial easy listening masterpiece.

This is the newest EP from Paul Maged, and it falls under the alternative rock category. Within that general label, despite the fact that there are only a few songs, there is quite a bit of sonic range.

This starts with a future person, looking like a borg introducing the situation and setting the scene in a theatrical way. The music powers out after this extended introduction, powerful and rocking for the prologue.

This has been the third time I have seen Black Star Riders over the years, and each time I see them, they seem to get better.

The Darkness - Live in Portland, Oregon, April 2018Review by Larry ToeringThe Darkness came to PDX and took no prisoners. It was a show that I did not expect to be quite as vibrant and well received from the second they hit the stage until it was all over.